METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOAD LIMITING OF A SAFETY BELT
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a belt force limiter for a vehicle safety belt in a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
- operating at least one closing velocity sensor to detect an object in at least two different spatial areas and generate sensor signals that indicate in which of the at least two spatial areas the object is detected;
transmitting the sensor signals from the at least one closing velocity sensor to a restraints control module;
using the sensor signals in the restraints control module to generate a control signal dependent at least in part on which of the at least two spatial areas the sensor signals indicate;
transmitting said control signal to an adaptive belt load limiter; and
controlling the adaptive belt load limiter according to the control signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and a system for controlling an adaptive belt force limiter (ABLL) for a vehicle safety belt in a vehicle provided with at least one closing velocity sensor (CVS) for detecting objects in front of the vehicle. The CVSs are capable of sensing the presence of an object in at least two different spatial areas and generating area specific signals. The signals are transmitted to a restraints control module (RCM) which uses the sensor signals in order to generate a control signal for the ABLL. The control signal generated depends on the spatial area from which the sensor signals originate. A CVS is capable of sensing the presence of an object in at least two different spatial areas and is able to distinguish the sensed signals from each other in order to control the ABLL.
18 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a belt force limiter for a vehicle safety belt in a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
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operating at least one closing velocity sensor to detect an object in at least two different spatial areas and generate sensor signals that indicate in which of the at least two spatial areas the object is detected; transmitting the sensor signals from the at least one closing velocity sensor to a restraints control module; using the sensor signals in the restraints control module to generate a control signal dependent at least in part on which of the at least two spatial areas the sensor signals indicate; transmitting said control signal to an adaptive belt load limiter; and controlling the adaptive belt load limiter according to the control signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A belt force limiting system for a safety belt in a vehicle, said system comprising:
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at least one closing velocity sensor operable to sense an object in at least two different spatial areas and generate area specific sensor signals; a restraints control module receiving the sensor signals and using the sensor signals to generate a control signal dependent in part on the area specific spatial areas; and an adaptive belt load limiter receiving the control signals from the restraints control module and effectuating the belt load limiting. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification